Re: Crows and Navajos

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "tgpedersen" <tgpedersen@...> wrote:

> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "aryeh_lev" <aryeh_lev@...> wrote:
> > Okay, I know this is getting further and further from IE, but I
> just
> > have to respond to this.
> >
> > > > --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "tgpedersen"

<tgpedersen@...>

> > > wrote:
> >
> > > It struck me when I travelled in the USA and Canada in 1979

that

> > the
> > > various 'nations' fell into two categories: Either they'd given
> up
> > > their language and their society was in shambles as they were
> > > themselves (Crows), or they were well-organised in an almost
> > Chinese
> > > or Japanese fashion (Navahos).
> >
> > Actually, Crow is often considered to be in a better position

than

> > most American languages. I have no personal experience with it,

so

> I
> > can't say for sure, though. Navajo, on the other hand, is in by
> far
> > the best position of any American language in the US, and as such
> is
> > not a good basis of comparison for any of the others. I have no
> idea
> > what you mean, though, by "well-organised"; the Navajo Nation has
> > myriad positive qualities, but organization is definitely not one
> of
> > them. Or does this somehow refer to language use? Either way,

it

> > doesn't seem accurate to me.
> >
>
> You're probably right. I'm basing my impression on two trips by car
> and thumb in the 70's, and my information comes mostly from Native
> American tourist centers.
>

I checked the map; it seems I confused Crow with Cheyenne. I recall
now passing the Crow reservation which had nice little row house. The
Cheyenne reservation we reached at nightfall and there was a circus
in town. From the Navaho reservation I remember passing at a gas
station two school busses with children so well-dressed and -kempt
that the busses might have as well have in Japan. But they might have
been Hopi, of course.

Torsten